Portable apparatus for fastening casings and the like



Dec. 21, 1965 M. J. G. TIPPER PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR FASTENING CASINGS AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 30, 1964 //v VEN TOP J. G. TlPPER MA VNA/PD ATTORNEY Dec. 21, 1965 M. J. G; TIPPER 3,224,083

PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR FASTENING CASINGS AND THE LIKE Filed June 50, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNl/ENTO/P MAYNARD J. 6. TD ER Dec. 21, 1965 M. J. G. TIPPER 3,224,083

PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR FASTENING CASINGS AND THE LIKE Filed June 50, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 lNl EN TCR MAYNARD J. G. T/PPER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3 224,083 PORTABLE AFPAIlATUS FOR FASTENING CASINGS AND THE LIKE Maynard .i. G. Tipper, (Ialdand, Calif, assignor to Rheem Manufacturing Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of California Filed June 30, 1964, Ser. No. 380,260 7 Claims. (Cl. 29--243.57)

This invention relates to an apparatus for applying a permanent fastener around an article and is particularly adapted for applying a pronged metal clip to the end of a flexible or deformable casing or bag enclosing a product such as foodstuff.

An example of a manually operated device having certain similarities to the present invention is shown in application Serial No. 367,536 filed May 14, 1964. EX- amples of power operated devices for use with the same type of clips are shown in Patents No. 2,879,512 dated March 31, 1959 and No. 2,880,419 dated April 7, 1959.

As in the references cited above, the present invention is adapted to be employed with a generally U-shaped heavy duty pronged clip or staple the legs of which are adapted to be bent toward each other and around the article to be fastened.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a portable device which may be grasped in the hand of the user and employed to secure a generally U-shaped fastener around an article such as a casing.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a relatively light weight manually manipulatable tool for securing a casing end or the like and which tool is adapted to apply a relatively heavy fastener despite the fact that the tool is sufficiently small and light to be readily manipulated by one hand of the user.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a manually operable tool which is capable of developing a relatively large amount of energy to perform the work necessary to feed and crimp a relatively heavy staple.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and from the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the device as taken in a plane indicated by lines 22 of FIG. 1 and showing the device in an inoperative position.

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross section taken in a plane indicated by lines 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG 2 but showing the hand lever swung inwardly to its inner position to advance the punch and move a clip along the track to an intermediate position.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the device after the lever has been swung inwardly a second time to its inner position to advance the clip to a point adjacent the die. The neck of a casing is indicated in the position it takes when inserted in the device in the position of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the lever swung inwardly a third time to advance the punch sutficiently to crimp the clip around the casing.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the punch being retracted to the position of FIG. 2 by release of the holding detent.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the device showing the tied casing being removed therefrom and the guard swung outwardly.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view showing the coaction between the die and the punch in the position of FIG. 5.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the structure of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 9 showing the punch further advanced toward the die and in crimping position with respect thereto.

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 10 showing the clip completely crimped by the die and punch.

In detail, and first with reference to FIGS. 1 through 4, the invention comprises a manually manipulatable housing generally designated 1 which includes at one end an elongated handle portion 2 which is generally channel shaped in cross sectional contour and includes sidewalls 5, 6 to provide a downwardly opening recess 3 terminating in an end wall 4. In continuation of the sidewalls 5, 6 of handle 2 but more widely spaced apart are a pair of jaws '7, 8 (FIG. 3) which project downwardly and forwardly from the handle 2 for swingably receiving therebetween a lever 10 pivoted on a pin 11 extending between jaws 7, 8.

Forwardly of handle 2 the housing 1 is formed to receive a die support member generally designated 13 which is secured to the housing 1 by means of a plurality of machine screws 14 (FIG. 1) passing through the die Support 13 and threadedly received in the jaws 7, 8.

Fixedly secured to the die support 13 is a magazine generally designated 16 which is adapted to receive therein a plurality of clips 17 for generally downward feeding of said clips toward the die support 13. For the purpose of urging the clips 17 toward the die support at all times a compression spring may 'be employed or, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, a weight 18 may be employed. The upper side of die support 13 is provided with an opening for receiving therethrough the clips 17, and the lowermost clip 17 is adapted to be received within a longitudinally extending track 20 (FIGS. 2, 4) formed in die support 13. For a reason to be described, the track 20 is slanted relative to the plane of the die support 13 as best seen in FIG. 3. Similarly the magazine 16 is correspondingly inclined so as to feed the clips 17 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the track 20.

At the end of die support 13 opposite handle 2 the same is recessed to receive therein a die generally designated 22 and which die is provided with a pair of arcuate grooves 23, 24 which respectively receive the legs of the U-shaped clip 17. The plane of the die 22 is parallel to the plane of the die support 13 and the angularity of track 20 is such that one leg of the clip 17 is received in upper groove 23 and the other leg is received in lower groove 24. By this structure, as pressure is applied on the clip against the die 22, the legs of the clip are deformed so as to pass each other as the same encircle the article to be secured.

The material between the track 20 and the underside of die support 13 is removed to provide a recess 28 (FIG. 3) so that a punch member generally designated 27 may be received within track 20 and said recess. The punch structure includes an inclined flat portion 29 and an integral relatively narrow vertically disposed portion 30 disposed in recess 28. It will be apparent from FIG. 4 that the punch member 27 may be translated along the length of track 20 and recess 28 into engagement with the lowermost clip in magazine 16 (FIG. 2) for urging such clip along the track 20 toward the die 22.

The punch member 27 is urged at all times to the right (FIG. 2) by means of an extension spring 32 which is secured at one end to the rear end of punch member 27 and connected at its opposite end to a pin 33 fixed in the handle 2. In order to translate the punch member 27 toward the die 22 a connecting link 35 is provided which is pivoted intermediate its ends on a pin 36 extending between a pair of spaced apart jaws 38, 39 formed integral with the inner end of lever 10.

At the outer end of connecting link 35 there is connected one end of an extension spring 41 that is fastened at its other end to a pivot pin 11 on which the lever 10 is swingably mounted. It will be noted at this point that the effect of spring 41 is to urge lever 10 to its outer position shown in FIG. 2 and at the same time urge the inner end of link 35 toward punch member 27. The. inner end of link 35 is adapted to engage successively a plurality of shoulders formed on punch member 27. As seen in FIG. 2 the link 35 is in engagement with the first shoulder 42 and, upon subsequent actuations of lever 10, the inner end of link 35 is adapted to engage successively shoulders 43, 44 on punch member 27.

For the purpose of holding the punch member 27 in an advanced position against the urgency of spring 32 there is provided a detent generally designated 46 which is pivoted on a pin 47 carried by magazine 16. One end of detent 46 is provided with a point 48 which is adapted to engage the upper surface of the inclined flat portion 29 of punch member 27 for frictionally holding the latter in an advanced position such as that shown in FIG. 4. The other end of detent 46- is provided with a flattened portion 50 which is adapted to be engaged by the thumb of the user for swinging the detent 46 in a clockwise direction to release the point 48 from the punch member (see FIG. 7).

At this point it may be noted that when the lever 10 is swung upwardly from the initial position of FIG. 2 to the position of FIG. 4 the punch member 27 is advanced a considerable distance along the track 20 toward the die 22 and is held in said advanced position by the detent 46. Upon release of the lever 10 it returns to its outer position so as to permit the inner end of link 35 to engage the next shoulder 43. Another movement of lever 10 from its outer position of FIG. 2 to its inner position shown in FIG. results in the punch member being advanced to a position at which the clip 17 just engages the grooves 23, 24 of the die 22 (FIGS. 9, Upon release of the lever 10 and upon a subsequent inward movement of the same to the position of FIG. 6 the link 35 engages the third shoulder 44 driving the punch to the position of FIG. 6 in which the punch end has forced the clip 17 into engagement with the die 22 so that the clip 17 is deformed tothe shape shown (FIGS. 11, 12).

After the lever 10 has been swung from its outer position of FIG. 2 to its inner position of FIG. 4 with both the handle portion 2 of the housing 1 and the lever 10 held in one hand of the user it will be apparent that the neck portion of a casing 53 or like article may be fed through the throat generally designated 52 in the die support 13 as indicated schematically in FIG. 1. In other words, the user may hold the tool in one hand and hold the article to be fastened in the other and introduce the article through the passageway 52 to the position of FIG. 5 wherein the casing is sufficiently restricted in its lateral extent by the throat 52 to permit the legs of the clip 17 to be received on opposite sides of the article and then be deformed around said article as shown in FIG. 6.

After the clip has been secured to the article the detent 46 may be depressed by the thumb of the user as indicated in FIG. 7 so as to release the point 48 from frictional engagement with the punch member 27 and permit the return of the latter to its initial position of FIG. 2 with shoulder 44 against a fixed stop pin 49. For the purpose of releasing the punch member 27 from the inner end of the link 35 the latter is provided with a projection 55 adapted to be engaged by the lower end of a rod 56 that is vertically reciprocal in a hole 57 formed in die support 13 A strong compression spring 58 is employed to urge the head of rod 56 upwardly into engagement with the detent 46 adjacent the flat portion 50. By this structure it will be noted that the detent 46 is spring urged at all times toward the punch member 27 for holding the latter and, furthermore, rod 56 is urged upwardly out of engagement with the projection 55 on link 35 When the rod 56 is depressed as seen in FIG. 7, the same engages the upper flat portion of projection 55 on link 35 urging the latter downwardly against the urgency of spring 41 and releasing its inner end from the punch member 27 so that the latter may be retracted to its initial position of FIG. 2. Projection 55 is preferably provided with a slantingly disposed extension portion 54 so that, in the event the operator depresses detent 46 before releasing lever 10, the portion 54, acting as a camming surface, engages the lower end of rod 56 urging the link 35 downwardly upon retraction of the punch member 27.

In order to facitate removal of the article after clip 17 has been applied a guard plate 60 is provided within a complementarily formed recess in die support 13 so that said guard partially defines the side of the throat through which the casing or other article is introduced into proximity with the die. Said guard plate 60 is swingably mounted relative to the adjacent end of die support 13 by means of a lug 61 struck out from the plate 60 and received within a complementarily formed recess in die support 13. The guard plate 60 is resiliently urged into the closed position of FIG. 4 by means of a U-shaped spring clip 63 that is secured at one end by means of screw 64 to die support 13 and which yieldably clamps the guard plate at its opposite end against the die support 13. As best seen in FIG. 8, the above described structure permits the article such as casing 53 to be pulled laterally outwardly from the device thus deflecting the guard plate 60 as indicated. This obviates the necessity of the user being required to remove the article through the throat 52 (FIG. 1).

It will be apparent that the first two movements of the lever 10 may be performed with very little force being applied to lever 10 since such first two movements merely advance the lowermost clip 17 from the magazine 16 to a point adjacent the die 22. However, it will be seen that the third movement of the lever 10 from its outer position to its inner position is a shorter one than required in the first two movements since the shoulder 44 is closer to shoulder 43 than shoulder 43 is to shoulder 42. By this structure the user is able to exert a greater amount of force on lever 10 because of the smaller are through which it is required to be swung and, furthermore, it will be noted that a relatively high mechanical advantage is obtained in the position of FIG. 6 because of the relationship of the inner end of link 35, the pin 36 and the pin 11. It will be understood in this connection that the closer said points are to a straight line the greater the amount of force exerted on the punch member 27.

One of the important features of the present invention is that, unlike conventional stapling machines, a plurality of actuations are employed to accomplish the steps of feeding the staple and crimping the same. It will be seen from FIG. 1 that the magazine 16 must be spaced a considerable distance from the die 22 in order to provide room for the formation of the throat opening 52 for insertion of the article to be fastened. For this reason the step of feeding the clip must be a separate one from the step of crimping it. Also it will be understood that movement of the lever 10 to the positions of FIGS. 4 and 5 does not require the same amount of force as is required for the final movement shown in FIG. 6 wherein a considerable amount of force must be applied to the clip 17 in order to deform the same. The present invention thus provides a simple method of accomplishing the required steps and at the same time exerting the relatively large amount of force when it is required.

The very specific description of the preferred form of the invention herein given is not to be taken as restrictive as it will be apparent that various modifications in design may be resorted to by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a device for fastening a staple to the end of a casing or like article wherein a staple is fed by a punch along a track in a housing from a magazine into engagement with a die, driving means for actuating said punch comprising:

an elongated slide member including a punch longitudinally disposed relative to said track,

a lever swingably mounted relative to said housing for movement from an outer to an inner position and vice versa,

a connecting member interposed between said lever and said slide member for converting swinging movement of said lever to translation of said slide member,

said slide member being provided with three shoulders spaced apart longitudinally of said track and adapted to be engaged successively by said connecting member for moving said punch through successive partial strokes in the same direction upon successive actuations of said lever from an outer to an inner position,

the first and second shoulders engaged by said connecting member being spaced apart a relatively large distance compared to the spacing between the second and third shoulders,

whereby said lever may be swung through a relatively large arc for advancing said staple a relatively great distance along said track upon the first and second actuations of said lever from an outer to inner position, and whereby said lever is swung through a smaller arc corresponding to a smaller advancement of said staple upon a third actuation of said lever.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said slide member and said lever are proportioned relative to said shoulders to cause only a small movement of said punch relative to the swinging movement of said lever when said connecting member is in engagement with the third shoulder and said lever is near its inner position of its third actuation whereby a relatively great force is imparted to said staple when the latter is in engagement with said die.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein said lever is normally spring urged to an extreme outer position whereby upon manual gripping by a person of said housing and said lever the latter is moved to its inner position with said connecting member in engagement with said first shoulder for translating a clip from a. point adjacent said magazine to a point adjacent but spaced from said die.

4. In a device for fastening a staple to the end of a Casing or like article wherein a staple is fed by a punch along a track in a housing from a magazine into engagement with a die, actuating means for actuating said punch comprising:

an elongated punch member longitudinally disposed in said track,

a lever swingably mounted relative to said housing for movement from an outer to an inner position and vice versa,

a connecting member interposed between said said lever and said punch member for converting swinging movement of said lever from said outer to said inner position to translation of said punch member in a forward direction toward said die,

said punch member being provided with a plurality of shoulders spaced apart longitudinally of said track and adapted to be engaged successively by said connecting member for moving said punch through successive partial strokes in said forward direction from a retracted position,

spring means for urging said punch member in a reverse direction away from said die toward said retracted position at all times,

holding means carried by said housing and engageable with said punch member for holding the latter in a forward position against the urgency of said spring means when said lever is swung outwardly, and

release means for disengaging said connecting member and said holding means from said punch member to permit movement of said punch member in a reverse direction to said retracted position.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein said holding means comprises a detent swingably mounted on said housing and spring urged into holding engagement with said punch member.

6. A device according to claim 4 wherein said release means comprises an element actuatable by releasing movement of said holding means and movable into engagement with said connecting member for swinging the latter out of engagement with said punch member.

7. A device according to claim 4 wherein said holding means comprises a detent swingably mounted on said housing and a spring urging said detent into engagement with said punch member, and wherein said release means is a pin mounted in said housing for movement into engagement with said connecting member and normally urged by said spring means away from said connecting member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 484,634 10/1892 Gray 81--357 2,682,054 6/ 1954 Lindstrom 29243.57 2,929,069 3/ 1960 Christin 29212 2,972,747 2/ 1961 Kelem 29-24357 FOREIGN PATENTS 164,084 9/ 1949 Austria.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MILTON S. MEHR, Examiner. 

1. IN A DEVICE FOR FASTENING A STAPLE TO THE END OF A CASING OR LIKE ARTICLE WHEREIN A STAPLE IS FED BY A PUNCH ALONG A TRACK IN A HOUSING FROM A MAGAZINE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH A DIE, DRIVING MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID PUNCH COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED SLIDE MEMBER INCLUDING A PUNCH LONGITUDINALLY DISPOSED RELATIVE TO SAID TRACK, A LEVER SWINGABLY MOUNTED RELATIVE TO SAID HOUSING FOR MOVEMENT FROM AN OUTER TO AN INNER POSITION AND VISE VERSA, A CONNECTING MEMBER INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID LEVER SAID SLIDE MEMBER FOR CONVERTING SWINGING MOVEMENT OF SAID LEVER TO TRANSLATION OF SAID SLIDE MEMBER, SAID SLIDE MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH THREE SHOULDERS SPACED APART LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID TRACK AND ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED SUCCESSIVELY BY SAID CONNECTING MEMBER FOR MOVING SAID PUNCH THROUGH SUCCESSIVE PARTIAL STROKES IN THE SAME DIRECTION UPON SUCCESSIVE ACTUATIONS OF SAID LEVER FROM AN OUTER TO AN INNER POSITION, THE FIRST AND SECOND SHOULDER ENGAGED BY SAID CONNECTING MEMBER BEING SPACED APART A RELATIVELY LARGE DISTANCE COMPARED TO THE SPACING BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD SHOULDERS, WHEREBY SAID LEVER MAY BE SWUNG THROUGH A RELATIVELY LARGE ARC FOR ADVANCING SAID STAPLE A RELATIVELY GREAT DISTANCE ALONG SAID TRACK UPON THE FIRST AND SECOND ACTUATIONS OF SAID LEVER FROM AN OUTER TO INNER POSITION, AND WHEREBY SAID LEVER IS SWUNG THROUGH A SMALLER ARC CORRESPONDING TO A SMALLER ADVANCEMENT OF SAID STAPE UPON A THIRD ACTUATION OF SAID LEVER. 